The Strikeforce migration to the UFC has been on for a while thanks to the heavyweight division moving over more than a year ago, as well as select other fighters.

We’ve been hit with many announcements of first UFC bouts for many for Strikeforce fighters, as well, that will take place in the coming months. Another pair of fighters who cut their major promotion teeth in Strikeforce will make their UFC debuts this Saturday at UFC 156 when lightweights Bobby Green (19-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Isaac Vallie-Flagg (13-3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) fight in separate bouts.

And while no one is happier than the fighters themselves, their new boss seems pretty thrilled about the situation, too.

“I’m excited for all those guys to come to the UFC,” UFC President Dana White said on Saturday following the post-event news conference for UFC on FOX 6. “It’s a long time coming, and they deserve it. I’m happy it’s finally here. I’m really excited for all the guys from Strikeforce to come fight in the UFC. They’ve been through some s— over the last year and I’m happy they’re finally here. We’re going to make it up to them for the s—-y year they had last year.”

That rough year, of course, had to do with Strikeforce’s demise, which included a pair of canceled cards in September and November. The promotion put on its final show Jan. 12 in Oklahoma City with a Showtime broadcast, with the bulk of the roster finding its way into the UFC.

Those who were not fighting on the final Strikeforce card knew their fates earlier, of course, like Green and Vallie-Flagg, who booked their UFC debuts in late December and early January, respectively. Green meets Jacob Volkmann (15-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC), while Vallie-Flagg gets a stiff test of his own in Yves Edwards (42-18-1 MMA, 10-6 UFC).

Both fights take place on the FX-broadcast prelims ahead of UFC 156’s main card on pay-per-view. UFC 156 takes place at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas with a main event featherweight title fight between champion Jose Aldo and former lightweight titleholder Frankie Edgar.

Both Green and Vallie-Flagg have been on hot streaks. Green closed out his Strikeforce career with four straight victories after a split-decision loss to Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante in his promotional debut to go 4-1 with the promotion with a pair of submissions. Vallie-Flagg went 2-0 with Strikeforce, including a win over Cavalcante in his lightweight debut this past May, and is unbeaten in his past 11 fights, going 10-0-1.

But one major high-profile heavyweight has not been announced for a UFC deal just yet, and that’s Josh Barnett (32-6 MMA, 3-1 SF). Barnett beat Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 36 in November 2002, but he was stripped of the belt after a positive steroids test. He went 4-1 with the promotion between 2000-2002, but hasn’t fought there since.

He also had a high-profile rift with White – a beef that White said essentially is now water under the bridge. The UFC boss believes getting Barnett back in the fold with the promotion for the first time in more than 10 years is a strong likelihood.

And Barnett himself said that’s where he wants to be, posting on his Facebook page that his “next battlefield could be the UFC.”

“That’s awesome. I’m glad to hear that,” White said of Barnett’s hope for a UFC return. “I’ve got a pretty good feeling he’ll be in the UFC. I’m pretty sure, as far as I’m concerned anyway, Josh and I have cleared up (our issues). Right when we bought Strikeforce is when we had the fighter summit, and Josh was there. And Josh and I have bumped into each other a couple times. I’m comfortable with where we’re at.”

Barnett has won nine of his past 10 fights with the lone loss coming to Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix final.

For more on UFC 156, as well as the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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